April 23, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Draft expert fired for publishing several inaccurate mock drafts

CBSsports.com writer Pete Prisco was fired by the website today for publishing a series of mock drafts in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft that turned out to be fraught with errors.“We hold our writers to a high standard and Pete’s recent work was wildly inaccurate,” said CBSsports.com managing editor Dave Dambrow. “I mean, more than half of his last mock draft turned out to be wrong. More than half! And Jimmy Clausen to the 49ers? The guy didn’t even go in the first round. That’s just terrible. We’re journalists. Our readers expect facts from us.”Prisco said he is sorry for the inaccuracy of his mock drafts, but stressed to management that he did his best to get it right. "I’ve been publishing a new mock draft approximately every seven hours since February,” said Prisco. “I’ve done 1,329 mock drafts in that time. I’m sure that one of those in there somewhere along the way was pretty close to being right. It's basic statistics."



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April 22, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Cubs decide Carlos Zambrano should pitch more than once every five days

Former Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano has had a wretched start to the season with a 7.45 ERA through his first four starts. So yesterday manager Lou Piniella decided to move Zambrano to the bullpen where he could pitch as many as four or five times a week, as opposed to just once or twice. "It seems logical to me," said Piniella. "If a guy is struggling, let's have him impact more games." While the Cubs have trailed in three of Zambrano's four starts, now the portly, highly-paid righty will be able to sabotage games they are leading, as well. "Despite what some people may say, this team has the capability to win games," said general manager Jim Hendry. "And we need to take all possible measures to stop that. The Chicago Cubs have a brand to uphold."

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April 20, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Report: Canucks-Kings game ended very late at night

According to several sources, Game 3 of the Los Angeles Kings-Vancouver Canucks conference quarterfinals ended very late at night. There are conflicting reports as to which team won, but the Canucks scored three goals, assuming you heard part of that score on the radio this morning correctly. Due to the late finishes that have plagued the series so far, and also most of the teams' regular season games, neither team is expected to make a serious run at the Cup. "They don't match up to the star power of teams like Pittsburgh, Washington and Detroit," said USA Today hockey writer Glenn Bonner. "I've seen each of them play one, maybe two times this year, and I never heard of any of their players. That's a bad sign for them. They need to improve their roster or schedule their games before I go to bed around 11:00 p.m. Eastern."

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April 19, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Guy who didn't train for Boston Marathon takes huge lead, slows, dies

A man who friends say didn't train at all for the Boston Marathon was the surprise early leader in the race, taking a 200-meter lead near the quarter-mile mark, but he quickly tired, fell back in the pack and then dropped over dead some 100-feet from the Mile 1 marker. "He started way too fast," said a friend of the fallen runner, Jeff Carson. "I told him he couldn't run this without training." Carson, 34, had been telling friends that he was "still in great shape from high school sports" despite his noticeable paunch, and that he could win the prestigious event "if he could get a nice lead." The Boston Marathon was Carson's first athletic endeavor since he tried to throw 95 mph in the Speed Pitch at a minor league baseball game last summer. He only hit 62 mph, telling friends that the "radar obviously isn't working."

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April 16, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Mariners host "Get Told The F**k Off By Milton Bradley" Night

In an official press release Thursday, the Mariners front office announcedthat all fans, 12 years of age and older will receive a quarter-minute,swear-filled rant from outfielder Milton Bradley as they enter the park fortomorrow night's game against the Cleveland Indians. "It's definitely thekind of thing that fans are excited to come to the ballpark to see," saidDirector of Events Jill Hashimoto. "Milton will end every rant with a'fuck off' or 'get the fuck to your seat.' Milton's a fun guy so I'm surethere will be plenty of spitting and crotch grabbing." Hashimoto also explainedthat the first 3,000 ticket buyers with will be able to redeem theirtickets at Safeco Field for a free headbutt and eye gouge from Bradley afterthe game.

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April 15, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Sprinter credits hustle for victory

Moments after winning the 100-meters Sunday at the Volvo Championships in Paris, sprinter Malcolm Duncan of Jamaica credited his victory to hustle and never letting up.“I went all out for the entire 100 meters,” he said. “Some guys lets up and coast and jog a little bit or even walk. Not me. I give it my all for 9.5 seconds.”Duncan credits his success new a new concentration and dedication. "I used to get easily distracted,” he said. “I would give my best for four seconds, maybe five. But then I’d spot something in the stands and wander off. But not anymore. And that’s what has allowed me to separate myself from the pack. Not everyone is willing to hustle for as long as 10 consecutive seconds. It's about who has the biggest heart. And also who is naturally really, really fast.”


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April 14, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Diehard Phil Mickelson fan going to get all of his consulting done by KPMG


Rich Tolleson considers himself a big golf fan. His favorite golfer, by far, is Phil Mickelson.“I just like the way he plays, the way he carries himself, the way he interacts with fans,” said Tolleson, a software programmer from Mobile, Alabama. “He’s just like a regular guy. He seems so genuine.”That’s why Tolleson uses KPMG, Mickelson’s hat sponsor, for all of his consulting needs.“Personally, I have no use for a corporate consulting firm, but I just want to support Phil in any way I can,” says Tolleson. “If Phil will partner with them, I know they’re a good company.”Mickelson says he partners with companies he thinks his fans can relate to.“KPMB, Barclays Bank – these are companies that appeal to the everyman,” says Mickelson. “And I'm not saying one is better than the other, but if you compare that to Tiger Woods, who has endorsed stuff like Gatorade and Buick, well — that's just sad. I don’t know a single person poor enough to have any reason to buy either of those things.”


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April 13, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
David Ortiz comes through with clutch off-day

Longtime Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was up to his old ways today by coming through with a clutch off-day, sitting out of the lineup so someone who can hit could play. "People want to count David out," said Boston manager Terry Francona. "But I think he showed today that he can still help this team in a big way." Ortiz came through in the first inning by not batting, and again in the third, sixth and eighth. He also threw out his glove. "Without those four non-at-bats by David," I don't think we win," said Francona. Ortiz says he's glad to be helping the team again. "It's all thanks to the support of my teammates," he said. "It was their suggestion that I not play. Ever again."

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April 12, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Jets hoping Braylon Edwards will take Santonio Holmes under his wing

New Jets receiver Santonio Holmes has a history of off-field trouble, but the team is taking a chance on him anyway in the hopes that veteran receiver Braylon Edwards can mentor him. “We know that Santonio has had some off-field problems, but we feel like we have the locker room to deal with that,” said coach Rex Ryan. “You take a guy like Braylon Edwards, for example. Braylon’s not going to let Santonio get out of line or become a distraction for this team. He’s not going to let him be selfish. In fact, the only reason we were comfortable making this trade is because we have Braylon here. That’s what his presence does for this team." As for Edwards, he says he’ll welcome his new teammate with open arms. “He’s got a clean slate with me,” said Edwards. “I know he’s gotten into some trouble in the past but that’s all over now. I think he’s a good kid that just puts himself into bad situations. I was like that, too, until I decided to put all that stuff behind me, stop being selfish, and start getting serious about football. That was two weeks ago.”Edwards added that if Holmes was willing to “put in the work and show his commitment,” he will have an opportunity to make an "assload of money" with some other team on the free agent market.



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April 9, 2010 Column Stuff You Might Have Heard
Minor league player makes easy play look hard

Without a hint of grace or skill, Brandon Richey, shortstop for the Kingston Mets, the Mets Rookie League affiliate, made a routine ground ball and throw to first base appear impossible Thursday evening. "What an amazingplay," said announcer Ken Garvis from the booth. "You really don't see f—k-ups like that very often. He completely missed the slow roller, stepped on it and slipped backwards like a silent film star. Then he struggled to get a grip on the ball even after it had stopped moving. And his throw, wow. The ball somehow ended up in the mezzanine. How did he do that?" Garvis went on to say that this sort of monumental moment would go down in the annals of baseball if anyone actually was listening to the broadcast.

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